Connections Health Solutions’ Post

🚨🌍 On International Overdose Awareness Day, let's spotlight the often-unseen heroes and victims of this epidemic. From healthcare workers to grieving families, it's time we say #weseeyou. 🌟✊ Dive into our latest blog to uncover the heart of this crisis and how we can rally together. 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9bKfR7f #EndOverdose #IOAD2023 #overdose #overdoseawareness #poisoning #facingfentanyl #JustSayKNOW #InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay #mentalhealth #RapidDetox #blog #WaismannMethod #opioiddetox #addiction #addictionrecovery #DrugTreatment #OpioidDetox #recovery #opioidcrisis #endthestigma #opioidepidemic #domusretreat #takeaction

The National Harm Reduction Coalition urges action amid NYC overdose surge. Until OPCs and other life-saving harm reduction services are truly supported, invested in, and expanded, these grim reports will repeat themselves. Some of the devastating racial/ethnic impacts in the report’s findings are as follows: In 2022, there were 3,026 overdose deaths in NYC. Of those deaths, 1,032 overdose victims were Black — roughly ⅓ of the overall overdose deaths. Rates of overdose death increased for Black, Latine/x, and white New Yorkers, and Black New Yorkers had the highest rate in 2022 (62.0 per 100,000), followed by Latine/x New Yorkers (53.1 per 100,000). In 2022, Bronx residents had the highest rates of overdose in NYC (73.6 per 100,000). ❤️ https://lnkd.in/gBNYJ93H

This is grim indeed. Black and Latine/x New Yorkers are dying from overdose at alarming rates! The National Harm Reduction Coalition’s new report says a third of all overdose deaths in NYC in 2022 were Black folks. How do we do a better job at engaging this community in effective harm reduction strategies to save more lives? What are we not getting right? It’s beyond funding and policies which is a huge barrier. I think we’ve got to create programs and interventions that reflect the specific needs, challenges and cultural norms of this community. I think we’ve got to talk more with Black people including Black people who use drugs! I think we have to better understand the implications of addiction through the lens of Black experiences. I think we have to create spaces that invite open, honest discussions, debate and harm reduction innovation. What do you think? How do we do a better job with saving preventable deaths in New York City? What are the missing pieces? Who are the missing pieces in this conversation? How do we begin creating spaces to invite discussion and debate to do better?

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. Did you know men's life expectancy has dropped in Canada and that this drop is sharpest in BC? This is due, at least in part, to the ongoing toxic drug crisis. Today, Dr. Bonnie Henry released a statement that reminds us, “Almost seven people in B.C. are losing their lives daily to this unregulated, toxic-drug supply. Especially troubling for me is the BC Coroners Service data that shows that overdoses are now the leading cause of death among youth. We are seeing evidence that many deaths are among those isolated and not engaging in care due to stigma and lack of safe pharmaceutical alternatives. As I have said previously, these deaths are preventable; we must all refocus our efforts.” Opioid addiction and overdoses hit construction harder than any other industry. That’s why we provide ongoing anti-stigma training, comprehensive addictions supports through the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan, and Naloxone training. If you or someone in the industry needs help, please encourage them to call C.I.R.P. at 604-521-8611. If you’re our employee, you can also DM us. Help is available. #IOAD2023 #EndOverdose https://lnkd.in/gba84g-c

NEW BLOG: 'Applying a commercial determinants perspective to suicide and self-harm prevention'. may van Schalkwyk looks at how commercial interests shape suicide prevention policies and introduces a framework for applying a commercial determinants of health lens to #suicideprevention. Read now 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMwy-Q53

Tomorrow is #RareDiseaseDay. It is a day intended to highlight the #oneintwelve in Canada who have rare diseases. While these conditions are considered rare, they are anything but – with more than 7,000 known rare diseases affecting over 300 million globally. Rare conditions are generally inherited from parents and affect mostly kids, half of which will sadly not have the opportunity to reach adulthood. While rare conditions like #CysticFibrosis have recently risen to prominence for a variety of reasons, there are many diseases that do not have the level of awareness needed to champion the public support required to improve diagnosis and care. If you can take the time today to reflect on how you can make a difference – be it through advocacy, support, or greater sensitivity for those who you know are battling something – it can mean a world of difference. #healthpolicy #innovativemedicine #healthadvocacy #healthcare #improvinglives

On this International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) and all days, we, as a community, acknowledge the work that’s been done, and still have ahead of us, in saving lives. With our partners, and all fellow Calgarians, we also remember those who have passed away, and the feelings of intense grief and trauma from their family and friends. A major public health issue, Canada’s overdose crisis has resulted in 29,052 deaths related to opioid toxicity from January 2016 to December 2021. Reports from provinces and municipalities support our data that people experiencing homelessness are disproportionately affected and are over-represented among those who have died of a substance-related toxicity. Today, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Central Memorial Park, join CUPS, our partner Safeworks, and others, for an IOAD event, and provision of low-barrier, equitable care for people in need. There will be resources, speeches, backpack giveaways, entertainment, food, raffles, hair cuts on site, STBBI testing, harm reduction supplies, and the provision of Naloxone kits. #yyc #opioidcrisis #internationaloverdoseawarenessday Learn more on our website at bit.ly/3P7CjWd.

This International Overdose Awareness Day, we’re recognizing community members making a meaningful impact to help address the opioid crisis in Canada. In recent years, Canada has faced a grave challenge in the form of the opioid crisis, demanding urgent action and innovative solutions. Dedicated individuals like Judi Frank have emerged as beacons of hope and catalysts for change.👏❤️ "Behind every statistic, there is a human life, a family, and a community affected. By sharing these stories, we create empathy and understanding, driving the urgency for action." Learn how Judi is making a difference in her community as an Opioid Harm Reduction Leader⬇️ #IOAD23

  Ontario is facing an escalating drug poisoning crisis, with data pointing to increased emergency visits, hospitalizations, and fatal overdoses.     Consumption and Treatment Sites (CTS) are part of a harm reduction approach that helps:     - Promote safe injection practices.  - Reduce the number of drug overdoses and spread of infectious diseases.  - Connect people to a myriad of services including addiction treatment, health care, and housing.    In 2021, 2,853 people lost their lives to opioid-related toxicity compared to 556 lives lost in 2011. These are preventable deaths.    The need for more low-barrier harm reduction services, including overdose prevention sites in high-risk settings like shelters, has never been more pressing.    Dive into the detailed insights and understand the pressing need for CTS in communities across the province: https://lnkd.in/gbS9_Bfe   #OpioidCrisis #HarmReduction #CTS

Back in May, Trust for America's Health released the Pain in the Nation Report 2023: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths. I was so honored that they chose to feature my work on The Importance of Trauma-Informed Care in the Education, Healthcare, and Juvenile Justice Systems. Join us today, September 26th at 2:00 PM Eastern, for the virtual Congressional Briefing and Webinar on the findings from the report. The webinar will include a panel of public health experts, including J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health; Shelby Rowe, MBA, Executive Director of Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and myself on behalf of Crisis Text Line. The briefing will explore the report, which found that the death rate due to alcohol, drugs, and suicide increased by 11 percent in 2021. Deaths due to substance misuse and suicide have been rising in the U.S. for over two decades, with numbers doubling from 104,379 deaths in 2011 to 209,225 in 2021. The increase in 2021 death rates occurred among all ages, races, and geographic groups, but the report found that increases were particularly high for youth suicides and drug overdoses among certain populations of color and in rural regions of the country. Join the conversation to discuss steps policymakers should take to begin to reverse these crises. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e45N36ku